Special to the Gazette
Mission Hill neighbors were notified in early June that the neighborhood branch of the United States Postal Services was set to close in late June. The message was relayed to residents via a flyer posted on the window of the post office. If closed, the flyer noted that residents would either have to go to Brookline post office or the Nubian Square post office, both of which are over a mile away and the latter of which is already reported to be extremely busy.
Boston City Councilor Sharon Durkan, who represents Mission Hill, was immediately notified by many residents about this closure and quickly took action. “My office received an outpouring of comments when the neighborhood was notified in early June that the only post office in Mission Hill was set to close on June 30, 2024. Naturally, I understood what losing such an important service would mean to a neighborhood like Mission Hill.”
Councilor Durkan quickly contacted Wingate companies, the company that owns 1575 Tremont St, the building in which the post office is located. Councilor Durkan urged Wingate to renew the lease with USPS. “Wingate were thoughtful and responsive to the burden the post office closure would place on Mission Hill residents. Partnership with Wingate was essential to ensuring Mission Hill residents maintain access to a longstanding and critical public amenity in their neighborhood.”
“We’re happy that the lease renewal has come to fruition because we know how important of a resource this is to the neighborhood and love being good neighbors!” stated Mike Martin, the President of Wingate Companies.
Senator Ed Markey also lent his support to the effort to save the Mission Hill post office, “While it rightly feels that our lives only grow more digital by the day, people continue to send and receive a host of urgent and sensitive messages via post. Not to mention, our postal services also support connections that even our digital world cannot provide for. I was grateful to work together with Councilor Durkan to assure Mission Hill residents would retain these connections.”
On June 25th, Councilor Durkan and Senator Markey received the news that the USPS lease was re-signed with Wingate and the post office would remain in its current location at 1575 Tremont Street.
“There are a few essential amenities, including parks, convenience stores, and yes, post offices, that, without which, our neighborhoods do not feel like neighborhoods.” Durkan noted. “Keeping the post office on Tremont Street keeps Mission Hill a neighborhood, and this outcome highlights the power of community advocacy. Thank you to Senator Markey, Wingate, and, most of all, residents of Mission Hill!”